Pirate station DJ gives new meaning to "air traffic" rating

A retired Navy air traffic controller was arrested in December for operating a pirate radio station he ran out of his Fort Myers, Fla., home, AP reported Monday.

According to the AP, community activist Albert Knighten now faces a felony charge of operating a radio station without a license — ahead of the government taking applications this fall to legally operate such bare-bones broadcast outlets, the result of a 2010 change in the law.

In this Jan 5, 2012, photo, Albert Knighten sits in his darkened radio studio at his home in Fort Myers, Fla. // AP Photo - Chris O'Meara

Knighten knew he was breaking the law but says the risk was worth it, according to the story. Operating in a poor neighborhood, he provided the community with “an eclectic mix of public-affairs shows, neighborhood announcements, old-school R&B tunes and even church services, geared toward the elderly and others who can’t afford or don’t use the Internet,” AP said.

Because of the arrest, he won’t be able apply for a license or operate a station.